Darkness Approaches

Jab-Cross. Hook. Jab-Cross. Jab-Cross. Jab-Cross again?! I've done this combination probably a hundred times!

Ow!

"Your nose will be next if you don't pay attention, Aika." Nevaeh's poking me with her focus mitt as I rub my shoulder.

"I am paying attention," I counter. Nevaeh's put the focus mitts down so I guess this means I can get a break. My sweat's starting to drip down into my eyes and they're stinging.

"You're still putting too much weight into your jabs," Nevaeh says. "It's a good thing I have good reflexes; otherwise you would've mangled your wrist beyond repair at least three separate times today." I let out a huff. Nevaeh responds with a sigh. "Your time off training has made you lose your muscle memory. You need to treat your leftside jabs more like feints," she says. "But you can't let your opponent know it doesn't hold any power. They can't know the feint is coming, so you have to put something into it, without getting injured. Deception is key."

I'm not sure what the point of faking it is when everyone in the NCC probably knows about my injury by now. "Nevaeh, what deception? I can't fool anyone. My entire left arm is pretty much useless."

Nevaeh gives me a frown. "I don't want to hear this," she says. "Since when were you so whiney and mopey?"

I narrow my eyes at her. "Uhh, maybe since my chances at winning the NCC went to shit?" I say sarcastically.

"Aika, you've won all of your fights so far, and this is your first time in the NCC. What would one loss matter?"

"You're the one who's been telling me to take the championship, Nevaeh!" Nevaeh looks taken aback. Good. At least she's listening. I'm getting tired of her bullshit. She doesn't say anything right away and I take the chance to get a swig of my water.

"What are you afraid of?" Nevaeh's voice is suddenly very quiet. I only barely heard her, but I still don't know what to say. I expected her to yell. I wanted her to yell. I've been wanting to have a yelling match for days; my voice box is itching. My whole body is itching and I don't know whether this is nerves or pain or dread.

Of course I'm scared. Takumi and Dad keep looking at me like I'll tumble down a jagged cliff at any second. Lev's no better, either, and even Evren's explicitly said she's worried about my chances. Anything could happen. NCC competitors end up in the hospital all the time. People have gotten... killed in this competition. Well. One person. What if something happens to me, worse than what's happened already, that puts me out of commission? Out of fighting forever? I've been cutting it real close. If anything else happens, there will be no redemption for me.

But what kind of impression would I give if I backed out now? All the hype about 'a Battle of Unusuals' would die immediately. My entrance into the NCC would be remembered as an anti-climactic fluke. As recklessness. I'd be the brute that punched her way into the NCC without any real finesse. The fast-forwarder who rushed head-first into every fight like a complete moron. "Why are you still competing?" Nevaeh asks. Why am I still competing?

I don't answer. I take off my gloves.

Nevaeh seems to have gotten the hint and begins cleaning up our training room.

If by some miracle I win my next fight, I could still be in the running for Division Champion. If this next fight ends in a loss or draw, I'm done. I'd take second place at best, which honestly wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for Division Champion rather than Grand Champion. I need to make it to the final Battle Royale. I promised Nevaeh. I promised myself.

And even if I win this next round, there's still the tiebreaker. Once Evren wins her next round, and I definitely put a when on that rather than an if, she'll be up for Division Champion with a perfect five-fight win streak. If I win my next round, and that's a huge if, then I'll also be up for Division Champion with five straight wins. I myself have never seen a tie for champion. For matches, sure, but the points system makes it nearly impossible to tie unless you've got enough people and enough luck. I have no idea whether the judges will really let both Evren and I into the Battle Royale, or if they'll force a tiebreaker fight before the all-out brawl.

I guess, either way, I'll have to fight Evren. She's never tripped up in the Battle Royale, but I'd still have way better chances of subduing her in that chaos as opposed to a one-on-one match. I'd lose the latter, no question. Especially with this useless wrist and the fairy lights that have decided to pop into my vision when my head's knocked around too quick.

Yeah. There's no way I'm winning the next round. Is there a point to continuing?

...Is that my phone buzzing?

It's Lev. It's just after 4, so he's just gotten out of his first class. Do I answer? I feel like if I do, we'll end up in a yelling match. He doesn't deserve another one.

I let my friend go to voicemail.

He immediately texts me. Heyy I kno you're probably training but call me when you can – there's somethign important.

I sigh as I grab my duffel bag and follow Nevaeh out the door of the private training room. He can wait until after I shower, right?

"Aika." Nevaeh suddenly stops me midway through her locking up behind us. She looks serious. I haven't seen her make this face in years. "Listen." I do. "It's my job to be hard on you sometimes, but I only do it because I know you're capable. You've gotten here on hard work and dedication, and I'll be the first one to tell you that you're not missing any determination. I push you because I believe in you. I haven't been making shit up to make you feel better, I really do think you can win if you're smart about it."

I let out an audible breath. Not sure if that's because I'm still trying to catch it or if it's because I'm relieved. Maybe it's both. "Sorry, Nevaeh, for swearing at you. I'm just... worried." I wait for my trainer's inevitable reprimand, but it never comes.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about you too, or if I thought your worry was misplaced," she says instead. "But I'd also be lying if I said I didn't think you could do this. Just remember that, ok? Think about what you want. What you can do. What your opponent can do. And call me when you want to come back to training, with a clearer head." She gives me a pat – more like a slap – on the shoulder and walks away.

Nevaeh has a weird way of motivating people. She's not a preacher of poetry, or even of what I really want to hear sometimes (most times). I don't really get it, but she has an ability to calm people down. I'd honestly guess that that was her figure somehow if she hadn't already told me it was basically snake charming. No, I'm the unusual one, figure-wise. Weird figures like mine aren't really that common.

But, I guess, that's where I have a fighting chance.

I get a notification from the NCC group chat just as I step out of the gym's showers and make to call Lev. Looks like the fight details are out. I click through my bookmarks and find the NCC website. I'm immediately taken to the fight schedule page, and I see the name of the last competitor standing in my way to the top.

Sofia Tranchemontagne.

If I remember right, she's Justin's little sister. They both have absurdly long French names, in any case. A lot of francophones in this division's lineup this year. I'm pretty sure Evren's friends with Justin, but I don't think I've ever heard her talk about Sofia. I wonder if Sofia had to fight her brother in the championship. That'd be a good show, for sure.

Ugh, Lev's calling again. Let me get to you at my own pace!

I pick up.

"Finally! I have class in 20 minutes, you know."

"Lev, I was training. And showering. You've gotta give me some time!" I shoot back.

"Well, you could've texted back at least," he mumbles. "Anyway, how are you holding up? This is your first training session since you messed up your wrist."

"I'm..." I don't know what to tell him. I still have some things to figure out, but whatever magic Nevaeh threw at me with her pep talk is starting to work. "I'm not dropping out. Of the NCC," I say.

"Uh, yeah, duh," Lev laughs. "You're one fight away from a shot at the championship! And you were so intense about continuing training after your injury. If you stopped now, I'd kick your ass!"

"I'd like to see you try."

"...I'd hire Evren to kick your ass, then."

I laugh at him. "I highly doubt she'd do that. She actually likes me." That line echoes in my head a few times.

"Hey!" We share a good laugh.

"All right, well I know you have places to be, so I'll cut to what you want," I continue. "My last fight's in the A Ring, where my second fight was."

"Against?"

"Sofia..." I hesitate. I'm not about to butcher a French last name in front of my French friend. I've had enough mocking today already.

"Sofia...?" He's baiting me. Damn you, Lev. I know you know!

"The French one," I say, extra sweetly.

"Ah, Tranchmontagne," he says, enunciating every syllable deliberately. "Justin's sister! She was good, she hasn't lost a match yet. Tied with her brother though. I wanna know how that got resolved at home."

"So she did fight her brother! That's hilarious."

"No no, she's good, but Justin's in a different weight division," Lev says. "They're tied for points. She's a newcomer to the competition, like you."

"What's her figure?" I ask.

"Darkness."

"Hm."

"You should really do your research on your competitors, Aika."

I raise a brow, instinctively. "But why bother if you and Nevaeh do that for me?"

Lev groans on the other end of the line. "I'm a full-time student, Aika! I hope you're happy, at least, that I love you that much." I smile. Of course I am. "Hey, it looks like they're letting us into the room now. I've gotta go."

"Sure. Have fun in your nerd classes."

"Sure. Have fun in your ice bath."

I wince. "Touché."

"Touché." Lev corrects my pronunciation cheekily.

I snort and take the phone away from my face. End Call.

Now it's just me. Against the darkness.

I definitely don't miss the metaphor.